Feeder and band-cutter



(No Model.) ,Y 4Sheets-#Sheet 1.

F. CLARK .su N. GREENLEE. FEEDER AND BAND GUTTER.

No. 445,973. Patented Febl 10,1891.

Wilgesscs (No Modell) l 4 sheets-sheen '21 P. L. QLARKV su N. GREENLEE. FEEDER AND BAND GUTTER.

No. 445,973. Patented Pb.r1o,1891;

'me nonmsyzrsns comma-wwwa., wAsmnsmu. oY c.

(No Model.) 4 sheets-'sheet 3.

F." L. CLARK 85N. GREENLBE. FEEDER AND BAND GUTTER.

No. 445,973 Patented Peb.- 10, 189i.

(No Model.) 4 sheets-#sheet 4.

F. L. CLARK an N. GRBENLEB. v FEEDER.` AND BAND GUTTER.' No. 445,973.

Patented EebQlO,l 1891..

i UNrTnD STATES PATENT FFICE.

FRANCIS Il. CLARK AND NICODEMUS GREENLEE, OF LEES SUMMIT, MISSOURI.

FEEDER AND BAND-CUTTER.

SPECIFICATION' formingpart of Letters Patent No. 445,973, dated February 10,. 18911 i Application led January 3l, 1890. Serial No. 338,705. (No model.)

T0 all 1071-0711/ it 77mg/ concern:

Be it known that we, FRANCIS Il. CLARK an d NICODEMUS GREENLEE, citizens of the United States, residingI at Lees Summit, in the county of Jackson and State` of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Feeder and Band- Cutter, of which the following is aV specification.

This invention relates to feeders and bandcutters for th rashing-machines; and it has for its object to construct a device of this class which shall be simple in construction, durable and efficient in operation, and which may be attached to a thrashing-machine as a part of said machine, or may be constructed upon an independent truck and adapted to be used in connection with any th rashing-machine of ordinary construction.

`The invention consists in the improved construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, which will be hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings hereto annexed, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing our improved feeder and band-cutter attached to the front end of a thrashing-machine in position for operation. Fig. 2 is a top view of the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line m of Fig. 2. Fig. 4t is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the line {1/ g/ of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional View taken on the line e' z of Fig. 2. Fig. G is an end view showing the feed-regulating mechanism. Fig. 7 is a detail view of the front end of the feeding-cylinder. Fig. S is a detail view of a portion of one of the endless carriers.

The same numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

l designates a part of the frame of a thrashing-machine to which our improved feeder and band-cutter is attached, and 2 is the main shaft of said machine, carrying the cylinder it designates the frame of our improved feeder and band-cutter, which in this instance has been suitably connected with the arms or brackets 5, which usually support the feedtable of the thrashing-machine. Said frame 4 is provided with legs or supports G, by means of which it may be supported upon the ground.

The frame 11 is provided at its :front and 111 upon the beater-shaft 2 of the thrashing- 6o machine. Motion is in this manner transmitted from the beater-shaft of the thrashing-machine to the main shaft 10 of the feeder and band-cutter, and it will be observed that in case the latter should become choked the friction-clutch 11 will slip upon its shaft and no breakage or injury will result to the machine.

The frame 4 is provided at its front and rear ends with uprights or standards 15 15, 7o

the upper ends of which are connected by cross-bars 16 1G. The two pairs of uprights 15 are also connected near the upper ends by longitudinal bars or braces 17. The upper ends of the uprights or standards 15 are con- 75 nected by inclined braces 1S with the outer ends of the frame 4, which latter is provided with upwardly-extending lugs 19, the upper ends of which are connected by longitudinal braces 20. Similar longitudinal braces 21 con- 8o neet the outer ends of the cross-pieces 1G at the upper ends of the uprights 15. The longitudinal braces 2O and 21 are connected by means of inclined guards 22, which, together with the braces 2O and `21, serve to prevent 85 the grain from falling back after it has been partially elevated by means of the mechany ism to be hereinafter described.

The inclined braces 1S at the front and rear ends of the machine are connected by longi- 9o tudinal bars 23, which serve to support the inclined tracks or guideways 2l. Longitudinal shafts 25 have their bearings in the inclined braces 18, near the upper ends of the latter, and the said longitudinal shafts are provided with sprocket-wheels 26, which are suitably located to register with the upper ends of the guideways 2st.

The outer sides of the braces 18 are provided with lugs or brackets 27, to which are roo hinged the tables or platforms 28, which are provided near their outer ends with bearings The 5 5 for the longitudinal shafts 29, upon which sprocketwheels 30 are mounted to register with the sprocket-wheels 26 upon the shafts 25. Endless chains l, which constitute the carriers, are mounted to run over the sprocketwheels 3() and 2G, and said chains are confined in the grooved guideways 24, which serve to and ,to engage the grain, which is thus carr-ied infan upward direction over the inclined guide-ways 24 by the action of the endless carriers. Of the latter any desired number may be employed, andv they may be located at any desired` distance apart.

The hinged tables 28 are provided near their outer. ends with hinged arms or .brackets `.85,10 which are attached thetables 36, which serve to. receive the grain and to guide it onto the endless carriers.

thelr connection with the tables, 28 by means The tables 36, owin g to of-the hingedr or pivoted arms or brackets 35, may when not in use be swung or folded over upon said tables 28.

'.lhelongitudinal braces 17 on opposite sides Aof the machine are connected by means of .metallic shields S7 with theupper ends of the Ainclined guideways 24, said shields being slotted, as shown at 38, to afford room for the ,endless carriersto work in.

'A outwardly-extending teeth 42.

the rock-shafts4l extend beyond one. of the .The longitudinal shaft 7, which ismounted .cent-rally upon the main frame 4, carries the skeleton cylinder 89, which is composed ofthe heads or ends 40, in which are `journaled a series of llongitudinal rock-shafts 4l, 4having The ends of heads .40, and are provided with short crankarms 43, which are confined in operative po- Ysitionby means of suitably-arranged pins 44 .and 45, which are located on opposite sides of the said cranks. The latter in operation are adapted to bear against a suitably-arranged cam-plate 46, which is attached permanently to one end of the frame 4. By this means the rock-shafts are maintained in such posif tions that their fingers 42 shall extend rigidly ,inan outward.direction from the cylinder .during the upper half of the rotary.1nove ment, whileduring the lower half @of the rotary movement the said rock-shafts are free to yoscillate in theirbearings. l lt will thus be seen that while the teeth ext-ending from the 1 said rock-shafts will engage the grain .which is fed to the cylinder from theinclinded endlessicarriers with certainty there will be no dangeiof the grain being carried entirely. around withwthe cylinder, because the said I,toothedrock-shafts Willbe free to vibrate during thelower half of the rotary movement of the cylinder, and t-he grain will thus be discharged from said cylinder upon the endless feeding-apron, which will be presently more fully described.

One of thc longitudinal braces l7 is connected by means of curved straps or shields 47 with. a longitudinal brace or bar 48, said shields serving to hold the grain in contact with the feeding-cylinder during the operation of the device.

Upon the frame4 on the side of the feeding-cylinder opposite to the longitudinal bar or brace 48 is mounted a roek-shaft 49, provided at its front end with an operating lever or handle 50, having a pivoted catch 5l, adapted to engage any one of a series of perforations 52 in a segment-bar 53, which is suitably attached to the frame 4. The rockshaft 49 is provided with a series of curved arms 54, which are about concentric with the feeding-cylinder. It wiilbe seen that by operating the rock-shaft 49 the curved arms or guards 54 may be moved in an upward direct-ion and into contact with the under sides of the llongitudinal braces 17, as will be seen in dotted lines in Fig. 4 of the drawings. The feed will thus be temporarily cut off, inasmuch as grain will be prevented from passing between the said braces 17 and into engagement with the feeding-cylinder. ,It will be observed that by this mechanism the feed may not only be cut ott' but may be very accurately regulated by adjusting .the curved arms or shields at any desired. distance below the under edges of the longitudinal braces 17, thereby regulating the quantity of grain which shall be carried forward by the action of the said cylinder.

Motionis imparte'l from the shaft 7 of the feeding-cylinderwto the shafts 25 Aof the endless carriers by means of sprocket-wheels 94, mounted upon the shaft7, and held upon the latter by means of friction clutches 55. Chains 5(3- connect the sprocket-Wheels 94 with sprocket-wheels 57 upon the front ends of the shaft 25. It will be observed that in case the -endless carriers should. become choked the sprocket-wheels 94 will slip upon the shaft 7, and dangervof breakage will thus be. avoided.

Suitably mounted in bearings at the front and rear ends of the frame 4,.below the shaft 7 and on opposite sides of the latter, are the rock-shafts 58, which are provided with downwardly-extending arms or distributors 59. The ends of the rock-shafts 58 ynextto the lthrashing-machine are `provided with crankarms GO, oneof which is connected by means `of the pivoted rod or pitman 6l with acrankarm 62, extending from the rear vend of the `cylinder-shaft 7. .A rod or pitman (53 also connects the two crankarms 60. 4By this mechanism an oscillating motion will ,in op eration be imparted to the rockfshaftsor distributers 58.

The lower part of the frame 4 is provided with bearings for a pair of transverse shafts IOO IlO

Avided with wheels (iiand G5, the rear one of which (il has a bandwhecl GG, which is connected by a twisted belt 67 with a band-wheel G8 upon the shaft 10. An endless carrier or apron G9, of ordinary construction, is mounted to run upon rollers 70, mounted upon the shafts Gl and G5.

The cross-bars lti, connecting the upper ends ofthe uprights l5 rising from the frame 4, are provided with lugs or brackets 75, forming bearings for the short Transverse shafts 7l and 72, the ends of each of which are pro- 73, having wrist-pins 7i. The wrist-pins of the wheels upon the front and rear shafts 7l and 72 are connected by means of rods or pitmen 7G. The rods orpitmen 7G are provided with down wardly-exten ding knives or cutters 77, which serve to sever the bands of the bundles of grain as the latter are carried under the said cutters. lhe rear shaft 7l has a sprocket-wheel 7 8, which is connected by a chain 79 with the sprocketwheel 8O upon the inner end of the drivingshaft l0, from which motion is thus imparted to the band-cutting mechanism. A sprocket-- wheel Sl upon the. shaft 7l is also connected by a chain 82 with a sprocket-wheel SS of equal size upon the shaft 72, to which motion is in this manner imparted.

The bundles of grain are delivered upon the hinged tables 36 at the outer ends of the hinged tables or platforms 2S, and are guided by the said hinged tables onto the endless carriers, whereby the said bundles are carried upwardly upon the inclined guideways 2t. Each bundle, when it reaches the slotted `straps E37, which connect the upper ends of the inclined guideways 24: with the longitudinal braces 17, remains supported upon the said slotted straps while it is being subjected to the action of the band-cuttin g devices and until it is pushed off the said straps by the action of the next bundle which takes its place. The loose grain will drop between the braces 17 onto the feeding-cylinder, whereby it is carried in a downward direction and dropped upon the endless carrier 69, which carries the loose grain to the cylinder of the thrashing` machine, the loose grain being evenly distributed upon the said endless carrier by the action of the oscillating distribnters 5S, having the arms 59.

le have herein shown and described what we consider to be the preferred form of our improved feeder and band-cutter; but we desire it to be understood that we reserve the right to any changes and modificatons in the construction of the saine which may be resorted to without departing from the spiritof our invention.

Having described our invention, what we cla-ini is- 1. The combination of an endless carrier adapted to convey the grain to the cylinder of a thrashing-machine, a feeding-cylinder provided with teeth arranged longitudinally above said endless carrier, and inclined endless carriers arranged on opposite sides ot` the central longitudinal feedingcylinder and adapted to elevate the grain and deliver it to the upper side of said feeding-cylinder, substantiall y as set forth.

2. The combination of an endless carrier adapted to deliver the grain to the cylinder of a thrashing-machine, a feeding-cylinder provided with teeth arranged longitudinally above said endless carrier, the inclined end-v less carriers arranged on opposite sides of said feeding-cylinder, and the oscillating distributers arranged parallel to and below the :said feediiig-cylinder, substantially as set forth.

The combination of an endless carrier adapted to convey the grain to the cylinder of a thrashing-niachine, a feeding-cylinder provided with teeth arranged longitudinallyv above said endless carrier, inclined endless carriers arranged to convey the grain to said feeding-cylinder, and mechanism to regulate the supply of grain from said inclined carriers to said feeding-cylinder, substantially as set forth.

a. The combination of the feeding-cylinder provided with teeth, the inclined endless carriers, and a rock shaft having a series of curved arms about concentric with the said feeding-cylinder and adapted to regulate and to cnt off the supply of grain from said inclined carriers to said feeding-cylinder, substantially as set forth.

5. The feeding cylinder comprising the heads or ends mounted upon a suitable shaft, the rock-shafts mounted in said heads and having outwardly-extending teeth, and the cranks upon the projecting ends of said rockshafts, in combination with the pins arranged on opposite sides of said cranks, andthe camplate at the ends of the frame of the machine to be engaged by said cranks, substant-ially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. 'lhe combination of the feeding-cylinder provided with teeth, the inclined endless carrier delivering from above said cylinder, the longitudinal braces arranged above said feeding-cylinder, the slotted shields connecting said braces with the upper ends of the inclined` guideways of the endless carriers, and the shields connecting one of said longitudinal braces with a longitudinal frame-bar to hold the grain which is being operated upon incontact with the feeding-cylinder, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. The combination, with the feeding-cylinder having the vibrating rock-shafts provided with outwardly-extending teeth, of the inclined endless carriers, the longitudinal braces arranged above the feeding-cylinder, the slotted shields connecting said braces with the upper ends of the inclined guideways of the endless carriers, the curved shields to hold the grain which is being operated upon in contact with the feeding-cylinder, and the rock-shaft arranged parallel to the latter and having curved arms to regulate and cut off IOC IIO

the supplyof grain from the inclined carriers to the feeding-cylinder, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

S. The combination, with the frame, ot` the lon gitudinally-arranged feeding-cylinder provided with teetlnthe inclined guideways, the platforms hinged at the outer sides of the frame, the inclined endless carriers delivering from above upon said cylinder, mounted to run upon shafts journaled, respectively,in the hinged platforms and at the upper ends of the inclined guideways, grooved tracks upon the said inclined gnideways to engage the chains of the inclined carriers, and the folding tables at the outer ends of the hinged platforms, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. The combinat ion ofthe frame having the longitudinal braces, the inclined endless carriers, the slotted shields connecting the upper ends of the guideways of said carriers with the longitudinal braces and adapted to support the bundles of the grain elevated by said endless carriers, and the rods arranged to reci procate above thel said longitudinal braces, and having the down wardly-extending knives or band-cutters, substantially as herein set forth.

l0. The combination of the endless carrier to convey the grain to the cylinder of the thrashing-machine, the feeding-cylinder providedwith teeth and arranged longitudinally above the said endless carrier, the inclined endless carriers adapted to elevate the grain and to deposit it upon the upper side of the feeding-cylin dci-,and suitable operating mechanism consisting, essentially, ot' the bandwheels or sprocket-wheels mounted upon the driving-shafts and connected with said driving-shafts by means of friction-clutches, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

ll. In a feeder and band-cutter for thrashing machines, the combination. with the frame, of an endless carrier adapted to convey the grain to the cylinder of the thrashing-machine, a feeding-cylind er arranged longitudinally above said endless carrier and having rock-shafts provided with outwardly-extending teeth, the oscillating rock-shafts having the downwardly-exending arms or distributers, a loelcshaft having curved arms or shields to regulate the supply of grain to the feeding-cylinder, the platforms hinged to the sides of the frame and having the folding tables, the inclined endless carriers adapted to con- Vey the grain to the feedilklg-cylinder, the re` ciprocating or vibratory arms or rods having the downwardly extending band cutting knives, and suitable operating mechanism, all constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purpose herein shown and specified.

In testimony that We claim the foregoing as our own we have hereto affixed our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

FRANCIS L. CLARK. NICODEMUS GREENLEE. Vitynesses:

GEO. N. LoNGFELLoW, JOHN Boecs. 

